Woman charged after knives incident at Northampton shops

NORTHAMPTON — A Millers Falls woman was arrested Thursday for allegedly shoplifting from two stores in Thornes Marketplace and damaging merchandise with blood from a self-inflicted knife wound.

Police charged Lola Stephanie Schmalz, 38, of Winthrop Street, Millers Falls, with two counts of shoplifting and destruction of property worth less than $250, and one count each of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and assault and battery on a police officer in connection with an incident at 2:03 p.m. Thursday at Thornes.

Responding to reports of a female who had cut herself with a knife at the Cedar Chest store, police said they discovered Schmalz on nearby Armory Street, bleeding from a cut on her hand and dropping items from some knapsacks on the ground. Police said after Schmalz refused their orders to stop and an officer tackled her, suffering minor scrapes and injuries in the process.

Police said Schmalz was found in possession of four knapsacks worth $174 she allegedly took from Acme Surplus Store and two knives worth $17 taken from Cedar Chest. They said Schmalz also damaged merchandise in Acme Surplus by bleeding on knapsacks in the display rack.

Schmalz was taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital where she was treated and released.